An award does not necessarily make you a better (fill w/ noun)

…but is sure does get you the extra attention designers need nowadays, in times of financial recession.

Yesterday marked the day of the 2009 CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), which to all American-based designers and a lot of fashion-aficionados is a day to look forward to. For Designers an award can represent the culmination of a lifetime of work or the beginning of nationwide exposure while for followers of mode it was something on the lines of a mini-Oscar ceremony.

Founded in 1962, CFDA is a not-for-profit trade association, whose 350 members are amongst America’s foremost fashion and accessory designers. The CFDA awards have several categories but the most important ones are of course Designer of the Year (Menswear, Womenswear and Accessories), the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award and the International award.

Womenswear Designer Of The Year

The Award in this category went to the Californian-based Rodarte, who has seen a meteoric rise to celebrity since the two Mulleavy sisters started their company in 2005, after graduating from U.C. Berkeley. Rodarte’s founders have been featured on the cover of Women Wear daily and have even met with the infamous Anna Wintour, Edito of American Vogue Magazine. Several Rodarte pieces have been seen on celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Kirsten Dunst, Keira Knightley and Dita von Tesse.

Menswear Designers Of The Year

This year, the award was given to two designers since results of the voting declared it a tie. Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders (Left) and Italo Zucchelli (Right) of Calvin Klein Collection both received an award. Scott Sternberg had received the Emerging Talent award last year so this year’s achievement only enforces his talent and vision, showing that he has not disappointed his fans.

The Award for Accessory Designer Of The Year went to Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler. There were also three Swarovski awards which went to Alexander Wang for Womenswear, Tim Hamilton for Menwear and to Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry.

The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Anna Sui for her long and successful career in fashion. Having started working out of her apartment in the late 80s and early 90s, following with the launch of her store in 1991, Anna Sui is now a staple in womenswear as her clothing, shoes, fragrances, cosmetics, and accessories are recognized globally in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Sui now joins the ranks of Yves St Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenberg and Bill Blass, who are all past recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

International Award

Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton was recognized again this year by being awarded the International Award,his fourth CFDA award having won one the erry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent in 1987 and thus becoming the youngest designer to ever receive this accolad, one in 1997 for Womenswear and one in 2002 for Menswear. This year Jacobs was ranked 15th on Out magazine's annual list of "50 Most Powerful Gay Men and Women in America" and this month he has announced his intention of marrying Brazilian advertising executive Lorenzo Martone, his boyfriend of one year, in Provincetown, Massachusetts later this year.

Popular Vote Award

This year also marked the first ever Popular Vote Award. Through a website hosted by wwd.com, the public was given the opportunity to vote for its favorite fashion designer. An overwhelming number of votes were cast and the winner of the Popular Vote Award was Ralph Lauren, who came alongside his beautiful wife Ricky. His award is definitely well-earned and goes to show the recognition and gratitude shown by the American public for one of the founding fathers of Modern American Style.

Besides the usual crowd of designers and Fashion magazine editors and photographers, this year’s CFDA Award ceremony had two special guests that are very dear to me. One was the First Lady, Michelle Obama who was awarded the Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award. The other person was Gossip Girl’s own socialite Serena Van der Woodsen aka Blake Lively who wore a beautiful neon-pink/fuschia dress by Michael Kors, a former CFDA Awards recipient himself in the Womenswear and Menswear categories in 1999 and 2003 respectively.